North Waziristan: Terrorism's New Hub? -- Ahmed Rashid, Washington PostInformation is still emerging about suspected Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born U.S. citizen who apparently spent time here from July until February. Court documents indicate that Shahzad received bomb-making training in Waziristan, the known haven of numerous groups and extremists.
Over the past 18 months, Pakistan's army has conducted major offensives in six of the seven tribal agencies that border Afghanistan. But the seventh agency -- North Waziristan -- has been left alone. In part, that is because it is home to the Afghan Taliban networks of Jalaluddin Haqqani and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who have close relations with the military and the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate (ISI). It has also been left alone for good tactical, if poor strategic, reasons -- the army has struck deals with the Pakistani Taliban in North Waziristan not to attack Pakistani forces. Until recently, these deals have held.
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My Comment: This region is THE safe haven for almost every Islamic militant organization in the region .... it is also probably the hiding place for both Osama Bin laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. The sooner that Pakistan asserts its authority in this area .... the better. The best that we can do is to be willing to assist Pakistan in what it takes to get rid of this nest of vipers .... and giving them what it takes to make this happen.
